Blasting apparatus



(No Model.)

No. 506,136. 7 Patented Oct. 3, 1893.

Wibzaw w flew/6265071 A A meesAYa /yen NITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES SAWYER, or DuoUoIN, ILLINOIS.

BLASTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 506,136, dated October 3, 1893.

Application filed April 21, 1893.

To whom it may concern.-

Be' it known that 1, JAMES SAWYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duquoin, in the county of Perry and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Blasting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The object of myinvention is to provide an improved blasting apparatus for facilitating the use of loose gunpowder, or similar explosive, and avoiding the expense of cartridges, besides effecting a saving in the quantity of explosive. I

My invention consists in a charging tube open at one end to receive loose gunpowder, and provided at its other end with a socket for engagement with an implement by which said charging tube may be inserted into a drill hole and the explosive deposited therein.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of myimproved cylindrical charging tube. Fig. 2 shows a modification in the form of the socketed end of the charging tube. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of a tamping-bar for use in connection with my improved charging tube. Fig. 5 is a view of the scraper.

For the purpose of facilitating the insertion of loose gunpowder, or similar explosive, into a drill hole, I provide a cylindrically tubular charger, designated by the numeral 1. This charging tube may be composed of any suitable metal and may have a length and diameter corresponding with the drill hole. One end of the tube 1 is open to receive the explosive and the other end is permanently closed bya cap 2 having a transverse socket 3 on its outside. This cap 2 and socket 3 may be constructed of metal in the form shown in Fig. 1, or, as shown in Fig. 2, the cap may be in the form of a wooden plug 4 inserted tightly in one end of the charging tube and provided with a socket 5 in one side. The cap or plug 4 is cut away on one side adjacent to the socket 5 so as to provide a flat surface6 that will afford space for the shank of an implement that may be engaged with said socket to facilitate insertion of the charging tube into the drill hole and its removal therefrom. At the rear of the socketed portion, the cap or plug may (No model.)

be tapered or beveled off, as shown at 7 in Fig. 2, so as not to scrape out any powder from the sides of the drill hole when withdrawing the charging tube.

The tamping bar 8 is of cylindrical form and preferably of such length and diameter as to fit within the charging tube when not in use, so that it will therebyserve as a guard to prevent crushing or collapsing of the charging tube should any heavy object be dropped thereon. At regular intervals on its side the tamping bar 8 may be provided with notches or index marks 9 that will adapt it to be used as a gage for ascertaining the quantity of explosive in a partly filled charging tube. The extremelower end of the tamping bar is provided with a concaved surface 10 that enables it to collect the grains of powder in the drill hole and form the explosive into a solid body at the bottom or farther end of the hole. In the upper end of the tamping bar 8 is a transverse socket or aperture 11 for insertion of the hooked end of an implement by which the said bar can be conveniently pushed into and removed from the drill hole. or socket 11 communicates at one end with a longitudinal groove 12 arranged to receive and steady the shank of the implement by means of which the tamping bar is operated. The upper end of the tamping bar is preferably tapered or beveled off on one side, as shown at 13, to prevent it from scraping out any powder while the bar is being operated in the drill hole.

The ordinary scraper 14, usually employed as part of a miners outfit, may-be conveniently employed to manipulate the charging tube 1 and tamping bar 8, above described. One end of this scraper is provided with a laterally extended hook or projection 15 that is adapted to fit the socket 3 of the charging tube shown in Fig. 1 and also the socket 11 of the tamping bar 8 so that it can be used with,first, one and then the other, as required. The button 16 at the other end of the scraper is adapted to engage the socket 5 in the form of charging tube shown in Fig. 2. As the diameter of the charging tube, and also the tamping bar, is only a little less than that of the drill hole and as the scraper when attached to said tube or bar, as the case may be, is flush therewith,

.75 This aperture they can be moved freely together within the 611111 hole without any possibility of becoming detached while therein, but will readily separate when withdrawn from the hole.

In using this apparatus, the gunpowder or similar explosive is placed loosely in the charging tube 1 and the scraper or manipulatlng implement 14 is attached to said tube in either of the ways already described. The charging tube is then inserted into the drill hole and by a quick jerky motion, the loose powder is thrown to the back of the hole. After the charging tube has been withdrawn the tamping bar 8 is attached to the implement 14. and is thereby inserted into the drill hole to force the explosive backward therein and tamp it solidly. After the powder is tamped and the tamping bar withdrawn, the ordinary blasting barrel or needle, not shown, is lnserted and the hole closed and camped in ghedusual way, after which the charge may be By means of this apparatus a drill hole may be charged with loose gunpowder, or similar explosive, and the charge solidly tamped with great safety and convenience. The expense of cartridges is wholly avoided and, as the powder is tamped solidly, and in a small space, a considerable saving in quantity may be eifect ed without loss of explosive eflect. It is obviou s, also, that the labor of making and preparing cartridges and the expense of the paper or like material are avoided, besides the economy effected in the quantity of explosive,

as usually required.

The charging tube 1 and tamping bar 8 may be both provided with the same kind of socket, so that the scraper or operating implement 14 may be used with either, without reversing or turning it end for end. In using the charger, it is preferable to insert it partly into the drill hole before attaching the scraper or manipulating implement.

What I claim as my invention is In a blasting apparatus,a charging tube open at one end to receive loose gunpowder, and provided at its other end with a socket for engagement with an implement, by which said charging tube may be inserted into a drill hole, and the explosive deposited therein, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES SAWYER. Witnesses:

R. A. HAMPLEMAN, J. R. SIMS. 

